Hoist The Colours High
by ArtificialAorta
Summary: While watching Pirates of the Caribbean, Darcy and a few Avengers have some pirate-themed dreams.
1. A Pirate's Life For Me

**Summary**: While watching Pirates of the Caribbean, Darcy and a few Avengers have some pirate-themed dreams.  
**Pairings/ Characters:** Clint Barton/ Darcy Lewis; Steve Rogers/ Sif; Natasha Romanoff/ James 'Bucky' Barnes  
**A/N**: So this takes place a number of months after Love Is An Embarrassing Thing and a few months before Pain Au Chocolat. I'm working on a fic that takes place right after Love is... but this was mostly written up and I've wanted to post it for a while. So, have some fluff to remind you why we love Clint and Darcy. They've worked through a good number of their issues by this point.  
**A/N2**: Just so you know, each chapter following is going to focus on a different couple, as it's going to be the dreams of each person.  
Also, the rating will likely go up when we reach Clint's dream. Just a warning ;)

* * *

After a short debriefing with Coulson, Clint snuck out of SHIELD and headed over to Stark Tower. Assuming that there is no invasion of any sort, he probably won't be missed at all. That morning, Darcy had an appointment to get her wisdom teeth removed. Very procedure but that didn't mean Clint wasn't going to worry. He hated knowing she was hurt, even if the pain was from an unavoidable dentist appointment. It kept Clint up late at night sometimes, waking up sweaty from nightmares, dwelling over the potential Darcy had to get injured. While Clint was one of the more squishy ones on the Avengers team, he still had years of training and experience under his belt. Darcy was pretty much a walking target and that unsettled him. It had become a bit of a habit for him to just check in on her to make sure she was all right, even when he knew she hadn't got into a freak accident on her way to lunch. How deep Clint's feelings for Darcy ran scared him but he'd got much better at not completely panicking and freaking out over it.

He was glad he had finally been able to convince Darcy to move into Stark Tower last month. Not only was she much closer to him most of the time (making it easier for him to fall into bed next to her after work) but he could leave for missions with a little more piece of mind over her safety. Also, it meant that at times like this, Darcy would be more comfortable, get medical assistance faster if need be and that it was easier for Clint to sneak over from SHIELD HQ.

Clint was very acquainted with Darcy's apartment- he had spent more time there than he had in his own apartment this past month. To be honest, he was surprised it took her this long and his constant nagging to get Darcy to move. Her new apartment was much nicer than her smaller one bedroom. Though, it seemed Tony would do anything to please Happy's daughter.

The fact that Darcy was Happy's daughter still surprised Clint at times. Well, it was more that she apparently grew up in close quarters to 'Uncle Tony' and the idea that Tony was considered anyone's uncle or semi-parental figure was a scary thought. But Clint tried not to dwell on that. She seemed to have had a very happy childhood which was much more than he could say for himself.

It was nearing one thirty now and Clint decided to buy some soup for Darcy's lunch. He wasn't sure just how hungry she'd be after the surgery but she loved the butternut squash soup from the small cafe down the block and he'd like to think he'd become a pretty dutiful boyfriend as of late. Even if they were pretty good, he occasionally felt the need to score some brownie points for that short period of being a complete douche to her. They were still keeping the relationship a secret but he had become a little more reckless. More stolen kisses at work and 'accidental' run ins so he could caress her lightly without others knowing. And now, nursing her at Stark Tower.

JARVIS let Clint into her apartment without trouble and he heard the sounds of a film playing in Darcy's room. Stopping at the kitchen to pour the soup in a bowl, Clint made his way towards her room.

"Hey ba-uh Steve?" Both Clint and Steve frowned in confusion. Clint took a moment to take the scene in, mouth gaping slightly. On the bed, Darcy is sleeping, swollen face smashed against a pillow that is pressed against Steve's side and she's hugging both the pillow and a bit of Steve's waist. A pang of jealousy shot through Clint, as he repeated to himself that he was not jealous of Steve. There was nothing more than friendship between Darcy and Steve, also a bit of hero worship on Darcy's part. They'd taken the time to discuss the relationships with Natasha and Steve and everything was fine in that department. Still, finding Darcy in bed with her arms around Steve and his hand stroking her hair wasn't really helping matters. She was drooling though, so that took away any harsh sting. But, it should be him that she drooled on when she was heavily medicated.

"Oh, hello Clint," Steve said softly, shifting a bit under Darcy's grip. "What are you doing here?"

"I thought I'd bring her some lunch," Clint placed the soup down on the bedside table. "What are you doing here?"

"Keeping her company and sticking around in case she needs something. Happy couldn't stay because he had to take Tony to some meeting downtown. And she wanted me to catch up on some of her top movie picks" said Steve, nodding his head over to the windows that doubled as a large screen where a film-noir style movie was playing. Clint recognised Humphrey Bogart on the screen pointing a gun at someone.

"That's nice of you."

"Bringing her lunch was swell of you too," Steve smiled his boy scout smile, making Clint a little guilty at feeling jealous.

"Yeah well, she probably would have done the same for one of us," Clint mumbled, shrugging. He decided to take a seat at the edge of the bed and wondered if it would look inappropriate to Steve if he placed his hand on Darcy's ankle. "Has she been sleeping since she got home?"

"She's been in and out. I convinced her into taking some medicine about half an hour ago but the movie put her to sleep again. She's been talking some in her sleep though," Steve's brow furrowed and he looked a little concerned. "Do you happen to know anyone named Ewan McGregor?"

"Pretty sure he's an actor," Clint raised a curious eyebrow. "Why? What has she been saying?"

"Oh, um, something about marriage and uh...well she woke up once to ask me to tell him she was sorry she'd be late for their ah, sex date? She mentioned Johnny Depp as well but I knew he was an actor," explained Steve, embarrassed at his mix up. "I don't know, I guess I was worried she was seeing someone and wasn't telling us."

"Everyone has their secrets," Clint said, clearing his throat.

"Yeah but if she's dating someone, I'd like to know. Make sure he's a decent guy. That he's treatin' her right. That...that he'd good enough for her. Wouldn't you want to know?"

Clint tried to nod noncommittally, thinking about a lighter topic to steer the conversation towards. Something that didn't make him think about all the times he still doubted whether or not Darcy would leave him for someone better. Or that Captain America was judging and disapproving of him. The only thing he could thing of was that Darcy seemed to have quite a few sex dreams about Ewan McGregor almost to the point where it was kind of funny (Uma Thurman starred in many of Clint's dreams so it wasn't like he felt betrayed by dream Darcy by this point).

"Mind if I stay and watch a few movies with you two?" Clint said instead and started to move over to Darcy's other side. He really wasn't going to give Steve the chance to say no but he thought asking was the nicer thing to do. In addition to a subject change. Just as he settled in, Natasha walked into the room with a thermos. She looked started to find both Clint and Steve there.

"Hello," she said, slightly upset at being caught in a sentimental moment.

"What ya got there?" Clint asked, pointing at the thermos.

"Borsht. Thought Darcy could use some cold soup," Natasha said stiffly, looking at the still steaming butternut squash soup on the bedside table with distaste.

"Cold soup? Who likes cold soup? With beets? Borscht is nasty," Clint teased.

"People who have had oral surgery like cold soup. Darcy happens to like beets and it's healthy. She's not supposed to have anything too hot or it could irritate the lacerations. Or didn't you know that when you brought this boiling hot soup?" she shot back, insulted on behalf of her soup offerings.

"I was gonna to wait till it was lukewarm," defended Clint.

"Ugh, wh-ah, mmmeph," Darcy started to stir uncomfortably. All three Avengers leaned their head towards her and accidently scared Darcy when she opened her eyes.

"Wh-why are you here?" Darcy somehow garbled out with gauze in her mouth.

"Don't worry about us. Everyone wanted to check up on you," Clint assured, helping her move away from Steve's lap to sit up against a large pile of pillows and making sure she was lightly leaning against him.

"I think it's time you get that gauze out. The bleeding should be manageable by now. At least according to the instructions," Steve pulled a sheet of paper from out of the drawer on the table next to him and skimmed through it. As he took another look, Natasha picked up the trash bin and held it out so Darcy could pull out the blood soaked gauze pads.

"You sure she doesn't need any more. That's a lot of blood," Clint said, not wanting to risk anything.

"Yeah, it says here that we should take out the gauze when she gets home and only use more if excessive bleeding starts up again. And if that's the case call the oral surgeon up. Hey Darcy, do you want me to refill your ice pack?" Darcy answered with a drowsy nod.

"I'll refill it," Natasha offered, taking the bag from Steve and heading towards the kitchen. "Darcy, do you want any soup?"

"Because I bought you some butternut squash," Clint cut in but Darcy shook her head no and shifted so she was a little closer to him. That made Clint preen a bit, as he ignored the fact that three Avengers had somehow become awkward helpers in the blink of an eye. If he thought about it though, taking care of someone because of a normal surgical procedure was a lot easier than taking care of people in the middle of an alien invasion. It was a simple way to satisfy their hero complexes without major damage.

"My borsht is better!" called Natasha.

"Pirates," she said weakly.

"Pirates?" Clint repeated.

"I believe Miss Darcy is referring to the _Pirates of the Caribbean _movie franchise, which she asked me to add to her movie queue before surgery this morning. She mentioned Captain Sparrow's antics being a comfort when she is ill," JARVIS answered promptly.

"She's been trying to get me to see them," Steve added, getting comfortable on the bed again.

"Then _Pirates of the Caribbean_ it is," shrugged Clint, kicking off his shoes. He glanced over at Steve and saw that his attention was on the door, so Clint chanced reaching down and squeezing Darcy's hand. She smiled groggily at him but Natasha started to walk through the door. Once Darcy was comfortable with an ice pack on her cheek and Natash perched on the other side of Clint, JARVIS started up the movie queue.

The movies were awesome. Clint had seen one or two but not all four of them. Steve, who hadn't seen them and was picky with modern movies, was actually impressed and laughed at a lot of the jokes. One by one, everyone started to fall asleep. Darcy would fall in and out of consciousness, mostly to see where they were at in the marathon and put in an opinion such as Tia Dalma being badass (Natasha agreed). Other than Darcy, the first to nod off was Steve, then Natasha. As he stroked Darcy's hair and watched her sleep with an affectionate smile, Clint also let sleep take over.


	2. Steve's Dream

**A/N:** This chapter follows the plot of Pirates 3, no copyright infringement intended. Though, the other chapters will be a little more loosely related to the movies than this.

* * *

"_The King and his men  
Stole the Queen from her bed,  
And bound her in her bones.  
The seas be ours,  
And by the powers  
Where we will, we roam._"

A beautiful voice sang in the eerie tension of Matakai Island. Once a thriving pirate port for restocking and relaxation around Malaysia , it had been taken over by the Hydra Trading Company. Although they were the largest overseas traders in spices, they had taken an interest in the privateer business and were sweeping all competition. It was a bad time to be a pirate when Johann Schmidt was out to kill them all but Captain Steve Rogers was not going to let that happen. Even though he had started out a soldier in the army, the sheer amount of corruption that had been growing as Hydra got its claws into whatever source of power it could, deterred him. The gluttonous King was more interested in whoever offered the highest bid. The influence of Hydra had become so strong and the corruption so obvious, Steve could no longer carry out his orders in good conscience. So Steve followed James Buchanan Barnes' steps and left the service of the King to exact their own justice only to be called pirates for their troubles. It wasn't how Steve expected his life to go but the pirates he met along the way had their own set of morals and he had to respect them for the harsh life they led. When Bucky was taken by the Kraken, it had hit Steve hard but he was determined to get his best friend back.

"_Some men have died,  
And some are alive,  
And others sail the sea.  
With the keys to the cage  
And the Devil to pay,  
We lay to fiddler's green..._"

The voice belonged to a stunning, raven haired woman, sailing a small wooden boat through the weaving rivers of the island. A straw hat hid the top half of her face but her head moved slightly as she took in the sights around her. Matakai was a dirty, hot and humid water town. Streets, buildings and bridges were built wherever they could be fitted on what ever land was found. It created a hodgepodge of bamboo and stone, creaking and leaking in the night. The inhabitants were a mix of races but each face dirtier than the last and each body trying to mind their own business. No one wanted to catch too much attention from the patrolling soldiers. No one wanted to risk their shop fronts being searched and Hydra discovering their shadier ways of making enough to get by. Pirates still frequented the island but under the guise of simple, law abiding sailors.

"_The Bell has been raised,  
From it's watery grave,  
Do you hear it's sepulchral tone?_"  
_We are a call to all,  
Pay heed the squall,  
And turn your sail toward home... _"

A blind woman with a unsettling smirk and curly brown hair pushed a cart full of trinkets, caged birds and a chiming music box. The metal tones of the song that played sounded off key but it was very similar to the song coming out of the black haired woman's mouth. As her boat drifted under the bridge that the cart was being pushed over, the blind woman seemed to nod lightly in the boats direction. Suppressing a smile, the woman in the boat stopped her twitching lips at the salutation and continued her journey.

"_Yo ho, haul together  
Hoist the colours high..._"

The raven haired woman pulled her boat along the edge of a stone ledge, hidden under a wooden building held up by stilts. A dark blonde man with large arms stepped away from the entrance of a large, round wooden door towards the woman tying up her boat. He was wearing an interesting combination of dark clothes that looked like a uniform pulled together from whatever was cheapest or could be borrowed, suggesting that he was a pirate who sailed with Captain Fury.

"Heave ho, thief and beggar, never shall we die," the man finished the song, catching the woman's attention. She looked at him, crossing her arms in front of her body in an unthreatening but protective stance. It didn't stop him from walking towards her menacingly, gripping the sword at his side. "That's a dangerous song to be singing when you don't know its meaning. Especially for a woman. An unarmed woman on her own."

"Who said she was alone?" Captain Steve Rogers asked, stepping out from the shadows. Keeping his hand on the hilt of his sword just in case, Steve caught the eye of the guard. When the guard was sufficiently distracted, the woman pulled out a knife, pulled one of his arms behind his back and held the knife to his neck. She was no longer playing timid and had a cocky smile as she whispered into the guard's ear.

"Who said I was unarmed?"

"Take us to Fury. We need to speak to him. He should be expecting us," ordered Steve. The guard was unhappy at being overpowered to easily.

"Doesn't look like I have much of a choice. Follow me," grunted the man, leading them through the door. As they walked through a series of underground trails, Steve looked over to the raven haired woman. Sif. At the beginning of his insane journey to bring back Bucky, Steve had been on the search for sailors crazy enough to follow him to the edge of the world. A few of the men who had left the Navy with Steve and Bucky said there was no question that they'd help but some of the newer and more skittish men had deemed them all insane. At a bar in Tortuga, trying to get information and a few more good sailors, Sif had come in and said she had a debt to settle with Bucky. That he owed her a boat and she owed him a slap. Steve was aware many women tended to slap Bucky on sight for his past conquesting but he hadn't realised a ship had been stolen from one.

At first, Steve wasn't too sure about having her join but then a fight broke out in the bar as it often did and he saw Sif fight with such spirit and ferocity. Sif fought with the talent of ten men and took down twice as many with the ease of batting an eyelash. He couldn't help the quickening of his heart and his stumbling over words when she asked mid-fight if he still had doubts about having her onboard his ship. She was the only one that had been recruited that night. While they hadn't known each other long, Steve could tell she was a passionate, hardworking, strong, spirited and an absolutely beautiful woman.

"How should I introduce you to Captain Fury?" The guard asked, now leading them up a ladder.

"Captain Rogers. And what's your name sailor?"

"They call me The Hawk," the man said simply, opening a trapdoor above them. They were taken up to an even darker part of Matakai. Pirates walked more openly in the semi-busy streets and prostitutes were beckoning as they walked past. Now in the louder bustle, Sif and Steve were more willing to talk to one another as they felt they wouldn't be as easily overheard.

"So Captain, do you have any advice for a lady meeting Fury for the first time?" Sif asked, an almost playful tone to her question. Steve was thankful for the grime on his face because it hid his light blush.

"I would say to show respect but he's the type of person whose demeanour demands it. Is Darcy in position?"

"I believe so."

It seemed they reached their destination. After giving a password, the Hawk led them into a steamy bath house. They stopped just inside the entrance when he asked them to remove their weapons.

"Precaution," the Hawk shrugged, watching as Steve gave up his pistols and sword. Sif placed her knife in the hand of one of the many guards and innocently observed her surroundings. They tried to walk forward but they were stopped. "The woman too. I've found them to be treacherous snakes most of the time," stated the Hawk.

"Well, if you put it that way," Sif rolled her eyes and shrugged off her jacket, revealing hostlers across her chest holding six different pistols. The Hawk knew better though than to think those were the only weapons on her person. More and more, Sif seemed to pull out weapons from mid-air. A few small bombs, daggers, and a very large blunderbuss. Steve didn't bother to hid his surprise. When she was done, she made another move forward but was stopped again.

"No, take it _all_ off," the Hawk said, smirking at Sif's amazed look. Steve felt his blood boil when a tiny silk robe was thrown at her and it took all his control to stay still. Out of decency, Steve looked away as Sif undressed and tied the robe around herself. From a few soft clangs, it was obvious that she was continuing to remove weapons from her person. Though how she had been able to glid as she normally did when she was wieghed down with all that weaponry, was a surprise to Steve.

Once this was done, they were led through the bathhouse, weaving through half naked pirates relaxing in tubs of steaming water and being attended to by scantily clad whores. Eventually, they started to approach a tall, imposing dark skinned man with an eye patch. When they stopped in front of him, the Hawk bowed and Steve followed suit. He had to tug on Sif's arm so she did the same.

"Captain Rogers sir, he says you are expecting him."

"I am. You have a request to make, don't you Captain?" Captain Fury asked menacingly.

"A proposal. We're in need of a crew and a ship for a venture, Captain Fury. I'm aware that you're in possession of a number of those," Steve said.

"It's funny that you should ask me for a ship and crew Captain. Just earlier today, I heard something troubling from one of my strongholds. It seems that there was a thief trying to steal these," Fury picked up a rolled up bamboo parchment and tossed it to the Hawk. "Charts that can take you to the farthest gateway."

With a nod of Fury's head, two men to the right of Sif and Steve pulled a man from a large barrel of water. The gasping man was one of Steve's men, Dum Dum Dugan. At the sight of him being held in the dirty water made Steve's gut drop. He didn't like to put his men in danger but it had been Dugan's idea to begin with. Hoping that his face was still, Steve tried to show indifference.

"I had no idea."

"You mean you had no idea he'd be caught," shouted Fury. "Now, I have to ask, what sort of man would have the sheer insolence to think he could try and steal from me while asking for my help?"

"We had nothing to do with his man trying to steal from you," Sif answered. Fury considered her words, took a dagger from his side and walked over to Dugan.

"In that case, you won't care if I just finish him off," raising the dagger high, Fury thrust it towards Dugan's chest and Steve was unable to stop the panicked gasp that left his mouth. Fury stopped the dagger before it touched Dugan and smirked.

"Why do you think I'll help you Rogers? What is it you desperately want in Davy Jones' locker? So much that you're willing to lie and steal from me?"

"The Pirate Lords are meeting. You're one of them and you can't ignore the call. Hydra has a hold on every port now and I don't have to tell you the ravaging they've been doing on the seas. We have to stop them," explained Steve. He didn't say anything about his other plans to collect the pieces of eight and set Darcy, secretly the trapped sea goddess, free from her earthly bonds. It was a deal he had struck with her. Darcy helped them travel to and in the world of the dead and Steve would set her free to reek havoc on Hydra. Sometimes, Steve doubted how much he could trust her but her longing to be out of that human body would ensure enough help to get Bucky back in the very least. All Steve could hope for in the end was that she would show the pirates mercy for releasing her, even if they were the ones who trapped her in the first place.

"Do the Pirate Lords think they can stop Hydra? You take down one ship and a hundred more take its place. What do you expect me to do?"

"We expect you to fight," Sif said incredulously. "You are Nick Fury, one of the nine Pirate Lords, one of the most feared men on all the seas. You lost your eye to a privateer and hunted him down and took on his whole fleet without remorse. The seas used to be open and free- a haven for those who did not, could not follow the laws of the land. Who have to break our backs to make a living. But now Hydra has poisoned that freedom. You have fought for most of your life Fury and I, as a woman, have to. I understand you may be tired but _I_ will not stop fighting. I will not let Schmidt take away what little I have. I'm willing to fight till the death. What about you?"

Sif's speech was inspiring and ardent, making Steve proud. Turning away, Fury took a few moments to choose his words.

"Fine words, young lady. But you still haven't answered my question. What is it you're looking for in Davy Jones' locker?" pressed Fury, turning around and glaring at Sif and Steve angrily. It was Dugan that spoke up.

"We're going to bring back Captain Barnes."

The few woman in the bathhouse giggled and Steve felt the urge to roll his eyes at how far Bucky's antics among women had travelled. The giggles made Fury even angrier, as he started to pace. Steve decided to try and defuse the situation and at the same time, hoped the rest of his men had found their way under his feet with waiting weapons.

"He's one of the Pirate Lords. He died before he was able to name a successor. We need him."

"The only reason I'd want Barnes to be brought back from the dead is so I can send his sorry ass back myself," shouted Fury, walking past Steve and Sif. When he turned to look at them, one of the men in the bathhouse caught his eye.

"A spy Rogers?" growled Fury, grabbing a man that before looked as if he belonged in the bathhouse. Fury pulled out his dagger and put it up against the now frightened man's neck.

"We don't know him," Steve said, this time telling the truth.

"If he's not with us and he's not with you..." Dugan began, "then who does he belong to?"

"Weapons!" Fury called and all the men in the bathhouse pulled out different weapons and stared down the out of place guests. Before Steve could protest, four swords hopped up through the boards right in front of Steve and Sif. They caught them and took fighting stances. On the cusp of them beginning to fight their way out, there was a call from the other side of a wall and Steve recognised the tone of a soldier giving out orders. Soon after, a large boom echoed and part of the wall blew down. About twenty or so Hydra soldiers stormed through with rifles held up and an all out fight broke out. Thankfully, Fury and his men thought it was better for them to solely fight the soldiers, not going after Steve and his crew who were were now streaming in from underground.

They fought their way out the bathhouse and onto the streets, which were full of screaming civilians, angry pirates and shooting soldiers. When Steve finished off one particular difficult solider, he turned but wasn't fast enough to stop the one who was set to replace his fallen comrade. Sif's sword ran through the solider and stopped any harm from coming to Steve.

"How is it you didn't die before you met me?" She asked with a pleasant smirk before slicing another soldier.

"I can't say I know," Steve laughed, fighting off his own soldier. A large explosion went off in the distance, fireworks going off in its wake.

"Sounds like Darcy has joined the fight. Shall we make our way?" asked Sif, kicking one man in the face, stealing his rifle, shooting another and slicing through the shoulder of a final. Steve had only enough time to say to himself that he was dangerously close to completely falling for that woman until he was distracted again and had to follow her towards the throng of clanging swords.

* * *

**End Notes:** Meanwhile, in Davy Jones' hat, Bucky is fighting off hundreds of himself for a peanut and licking crabs shaped as rocks.  
**EN2**:Stay tuned for the next chapter where we get interesting insight into Clint's fantasies.


	3. Clint's Dream

**A/N**:Guys...this chapter. I don't even know. You may love or hate me for the saccharine in it. Even I sort of rolled my eyes at myself at times.  
**Warning**: this chapter is is NC-17, though it's the only one in this fic that has that rating.

* * *

"Are you sure about this?" First Mate Natasha Romanoff asked. Captain Clint Barton took a few moments to think before answering.

"Yes. It's a terrible day for a wedding, don't you think?" he gestured up towards the clear and bright sky. Quirking an eyebrow, Natasha smirked.

"It's only terrible for you because you're not the one getting married," observed Natasha, smirking when Clint glared at her suggestion. "Do you really think she'll be happy on board? That we won't be caught and strung up before we even reach her?"

"The plan is good. The ship will be hidden. Uma will lead some of our best men to steal The Valiant, then while the Navy is sufficiently distracted, we go in and find Darcy. Once the Navy catches up with the ship, Uma will be gone and they realise it was a distraction. By the time they work out what really happened, we'll already have a few hours ahead- a day if we're lucky."

"You're stealing the bride of a commodore and robbing him of his wedding night. Do you really think they'd give us the courtesy of a few hours?" Natasha asked seriously, taking a step closer and trying to catch Clint's eye. He refused to look at her.

"Not stealing...ferrying," frowned Clint. "And we can only keep her as long as we can persuade her to. If she wants to be dropped off at the next port, then that is what we'll do. She's spirited. She won't do what she doesn't want," Clint reasoned, trying to comfort himself. It wasn't like she _wanted_ to marry Commodore Rogers. It was the wish of the King and her father, the governor. _Not_ Darcy.

"I've seen the way you persuade women. I don't think she'll have much of a choice and I don't think you've though this through," she let the sentence hang in the air for a few moments, letting Clint take the time to come up with a reply. When he didn't dignify her with an answer, she walked away. "I'll tell the ladies to prepare to go ashore then, shall I?"

* * *

The plan went off without a hitch. Uma had stolen enough ships in her lifetime to gain them up to four hours ahead of the Navy and not lead them back to The Silver Arrow. The crew who had gone to shore were quiet and hadn't been seen as they kidnapped Darcy and brought her straight to his cabin (along with some of the wedding feast they pilfered along the way). Once Uma and her men caught up with The Silver Arrow, Clint had steered the ship towards a little known cove. The island had enough foliage to hide them from passing ships if the Navy accidentally passed by. That would buy them another day or so.

Even though Clint had spent most of his time creating the plan to steal back Darcy the moment he heard she was engaged, he was too nervous to actually see her. The last time they saw each other, Clint had just a blacksmith, filling out orders from the Navy captains, longing for adventure and pointlessly trying to capture the eye and a few words of the highly prized Governor's daughter. His face still burned red at how one night, he drank more pints than usual and found himself under her window. The servants had kicked him off the grounds midway through his lengthy exclamations of love, laughing at how he was actually shouting at a guest room window holding a suitor for the woman he claimed to dream about endlessly. Before Clint knew what he was doing, he had signed up to be a crew member on a fishing boat. A month later, the boat was stormed by pirates and Clint's pirating days began.

"Captain, the hostage has been given her dinner, though she refuses to eat it. I've left it with her," announced one of the crew, disturbing Clint from his thoughts as he stared out into the darkness.

"Thank you," grunted Clint, pulling himself together.

"Perhaps you should join her. Maybe she'll eat something. When I visited her earlier today, she was quite frightened. Thought I came in to kill her before any ransom was even offered," Natasha said, arms crossed as she joined Clint. He tried not to look too guilty.

"Perhaps..."

"Barton," Natasha glared at him. "We've risked all our necks so you could have this girl. The least you could do is go and talk to her instead of letting her rot in your cabin. So go, I made sure there was more than enough food for two."

Knowing he was going to have to face Darcy sooner or later, and knowing he was very hungry, Clint decided to listen to Natasha's orders.

"Tell the crew to not disturb me unless it's a matter of life and death," sighed Clint, already heading towards his cabin. Each heavy step made anticipation grow uncomfortably in his gut and tension coil in his shoulders. When he reached the door, he took a deep breath and opened it. He frowned when he looked in the dimly lit room and didn't see Darcy. Automatically, his skin started to prickle as he stood to attention, taking in everything about the strange situation before walking into the room. Not bothering to look back once he stepped into the room, Clint closed the door behind him then heard the rustling of petticoats to the left. A flash of metal in the candlelight caught Clint's eye as he stepped out of the way and grabbed onto the body pouncing on him. In no time, a struggling brunette was struggling and shouting with her back against Clint's chest. The knife she had planned to use on him now pressed against her neck.

"I demand you let me go this instant!" she ordered, trying to appear authoritative but the fear was evident in her wavering voice. Clint couldn't help but take the moment to appreciate the feel of her body underneath his arms and the smell of perfume. Leaning down, he whispered into her ear.

"Tell me, after you killed me, what were you planning to do?" he took the knife, which he now realised was the one given to her for dinner, off her neck and loosened his grip enough so that she could turn around.

"Clint? Is that really you?" asked Darcy when she saw him. She placed soft hands against his face, trying to make sure that it wasn't an illusion.

"Yes."

"I- I don't understand," she began, pulling him into a hug. "Have you come to rescue me? To take me back?" she asked hopefully.

"No," admitted Clint, stuffing the knife into his belt and pulling Darcy's hands off of him. He walked further into the room and looked at the large dinner that had been laid out. It was food from the wedding: soft breads, a roasted chicken, mutton, roast beef, vegetables, fruits, sweets, wine and even hot chocolate. Something bitter rose up in Clint, as he thought about how she should have been enjoying the dinner with her new husband by her side. Feeling rather savage, he tore off a chicken leg and ate it without ceremony.

"But-"

"Would you though? Would you rather I take you straight home? To your future husband? Would you be happy to become his wife? Could you- do you love him?" asked Clint angrily, still not facing Darcy. He threw the half eaten leg down and wiped the grease from his hand onto his shirt while pouring a cup of hot chocolate.

"Commodore Rogers is a kind man. Very respected. He would make anyone an excellent husband," Darcy began what sounded like a very rehearsed speech. It wouldn't have surprised Clint if it was one her father had told her over and over.

"I'm sure he is. Any man to get that far up in the Navy has to be made of gold or a complete leech."

"He will take care of me," Darcy's voice started to shake. "Ensure I want for naught and that I have a good home-"

"But do you love him?" Clint shouted, spinning around to glare at Darcy. Any other word that was about to leave caught in his throat once he finally took a good look at her. She was still dressed and prepared for the wedding in an elaborate cream and gold dress. The corset pushed her plump breasts up nicely. Her petticoat was large, puffed, embroidered with jewels and probably cost more than Clint could ever hope to make off an honest day's living, even if there was some mud on the train. Her hair was loosely put up with pearls threaded throughout. All the air in Clint's lungs escaped him as he took her in. The guilt increased tenfold when he saw how upset his shouting had made her. Standing up straight, Clint tried to remember his manners and bowed lightly, attempting to ignore the few tears leaking from her eyes.

"I'm sorry," he whispered sincerely. "That was inappropriate of me. I will take you back at the light of dawn. You have my word. Even if it's just the word of a pirate," promised Clint, starting to make his way towards the door. He was stopped by a tentative voice.

"I thought my father was lying. When he told me that you were wanted for piracy. I wouldn't believe him. I said that he was trying to make me forget about you because he knew how...fond I was of you," Darcy admitted, voice growing softer. When Clint turned around to face her, she started to move closer to him till they were almost nose to nose. "He knew how I compared every one of my suitors to you and that in my mind, they were always sorely lacking." She seemed unable to stop her fingers from ghosting over the buckles crisscrossing his chest. At the lighter than air touch, Clint felt his whole body suddenly react. He swallowed past the lump in his throat and tried to control the urge to just push her body up against the wall with his. Instead, he wiped the tears from her cheeks.

A glint of gold between her bosom caught his eye.

"That necklace..."

"Oh," Darcy blushed beautifully, suddenly realising her forwardness. She pulled out the pendant. It was a simply made heart with lines etched on both sides. Looking at it made Clint's chest tighten. He didn't have to read it to know what was written. It had been the last thing Clint made as a blacksmith and was in his pocket the night he declared his love to the wrong window. After being roughed up by the servants, Clint discovered that the necklace had fallen out of his pocket and thought it was lost forever.

"Where did you get that?"

"That night. The night you came to my house then disappeared," began Darcy, rubbing at the necklace nervously. "My chambermaid had been watching them take you away. She said she saw this fall out of your pocket. She read the lines on it and assumed it was for me. I'm sorry. Was, was it meant for someone else?"

"_Thy virtue move my heart to love_," Clint recited the lines that were etched onto his own heart as well as the gold piece in Darcy's hand. He took a small step closer to her till they were barely touching. His heart beat rapidly in his chest as he looked down into her eyes but he forced himself to continue. "_I love thee and dare not show it. If thou love me, let me know it._ How could those words be meant for anyone but you?"

"Oh Clint," Darcy breathed, wonder and adoration scrawled across her face. Lightly holding her hand his in, Clint placed a kiss on her palm. He heard his blood pound in his ears when she whimpered at the touch. Not wasting any more time, Clint leaned down and took her lips with his. She let him pull her closer without complaint and moaned wantonly into his mouth.

"I believe you owe me a wedding night," smiled Darcy once they broke apart, biting her lip coyly. She stepped backwards till she was by the table spread and ran a finger along the cake. Hungry eyes watched as she popped the sugared finger into her mouth and licked it clean. Clint's mind was suddenly filled with images of her moaning under him, wearing nothing but the necklace.

"Who am I to deny a bride her wishes?" asked Clint gruffly, placing a hand on her ass and pulling the giggling woman in for another heated kiss. Her giggles became groans as his tongue confidently played with hers. The noises she made didn't entirely match the tentative reactions of her mouth or the way her soft hands stayed atop his chest but the contrast only spurred Clint on. When they separated for air, he appreciated the sugary taste in his mouth from the icing she ate. Licking his lips, Clint smiled down at her red swollen lips and almost black eyes. Sucking on her neck, he reached behind her to grab a finger full of icing.

"You've always had a taste for sweets," observed Clint, waving the sugar in front of her. The hesitation in Darcy's eyes only lasted a moment before she just took his hand and moved it towards her mouth. She sucked his finger slowly and swirled her tongue around it, keeping steady eye contact and pulling a low growl from Clint's chest.

"I dare say I've just got a taste for you," whispered Darcy seductively, starting to undo the hooks and buttons on the front of her dress. When Clint realised what she was doing, he helped her until all the ties and strings of her petticoats and corset had fallen to the ground. She stood before him in all her glory, wearing nothing but the necklace and her shoes. The mix of the cool air in the room and her own shyness at the situation made her shiver and cover her bosom with crossed arms. Not wanting her to catch a cold, Clint impulsively unbuckled the guns and swords from his person and wrapped his long coat around her. After tugging the coat on and pushing her arms through the sleeves, Darcy said a quiet thank you.

Falling to his knees, Clint smirked up at her, satisfied at the blush that was starting to reappear on her cheeks. He lifted each foot and pulled off her shoes, making sure to place soft kisses against her calves. When the second shoe was removed, he let his trail of kisses move up from her calves towards her thighs until he reached her opening. Above him, Darcy's body stiffened when she saw where he was stopping. Without warning he licked a slowly up her opening, grinning at her gasp and pulling her left leg till it was over his shoulder. It knocked his worn hat off in the process but he continued to work her open with a hot tongue, licking and sucking until she was panting above him and gripping his hair roughly with both hands. Clint shifted slightly to get into a better position and started to lick and suck at her clit until she cried out, pushing his face into her body as she arched her back.

Standing up, Clint started to kiss and lick a trail up to her breast and sucked at her nipple while rubbing the other to attention with his thumb.

"I dare say I've got a taste for you too," Clint said roughly, pulling away once Darcy started to moan without reservation. He was tugged into a deep kiss, with Darcy taking in her own taste with hunger. Without knowing, Darcy melted into Clint's body and accidently brushed his erection with her thigh. Clint bucked up towards her, mumbling apologies when she stepped back in surprise.

"Perhaps you should take off some of these clothes?" Darcy suggested and Clint could only nod in agreement. He started with his shirt and then tried to pull off his britches but almost fell over when his boots got in the way. Laughing fondly at his struggle, Darcy pushed Clint into the nearest chair and bent down to pull the boots off. His britches followed, leaving him completely naked. Before Clint could pull her back up to eye level, she found his discarded hat and popped it on her head with a smirk.

"Does that make you captain now?" Clint asked, leaning back as she stood in front of him. Looking at her flushed and slightly sweaty body made a new rush of lust. He ran his hand up and down his erection.

"For tonight?" asked Darcy, stepping closer to Clint. She steadied herself by holding onto his shoulders and sat on the edge of his knees, leg on either side of his.

"You will always be the captain of my heart," promised Clint, tweaking her nipples to make her shiver before pulling her up so that she started to sink onto his cock. "I've wanted this for so long. Please tell me you've felt the same," Clint begged, panting as he guided his erection the rest of the way until he was fully seated inside her.

"Yes," whispered Darcy, shuddering at the sensation of him slowly thrusting up into her. "I feel free with you Clint," Darcy admitted, starting to kiss his neck.

Something inside Clint snapped at her words and he suddenly lifted her up and carried her towards his small bed. They broke contact, only because Clint wanted to make sure she was comfortably situated. Before Darcy could complain, he settled in between her legs and pushed in till he was balls deep in one swift motion. At first, he thrusted slowly and gently, enjoying every little whimper and groan he could elicit. Soon, she requested more and he obliged by pulling out and pushing back in roughly. Her cries grew in volume and intensity as he thrust in and out, snaking a hand between them to rub at her clit. Darcy grew nearer and started to run her nails down his back, causing Clint to groan.

"Clint, oh- ah!" Darcy screamed, body tightening and back arching. Clint grunted his release into her a few moments later. He fell on top of her but she didn't seem to mind, wrapping her legs around his waist to pull him even closer and kissing him with short, playful nips. They came down together and Clint rolled them over so that she was laying on top of him.

"If there's a repeat performance, I may give you this ship," sighed Clint, enjoying the feel of her giggles against his chest.

"Better your ship than a thousand Navy fleets," Darcy swore.

"Hmmm, I do like the sound of Mrs. Captain Clint Barton," mused Clint tucking away a loose lock of hair behind her ear and kissing her forehead.

* * *

**Fact**: Some of Clint's sex dreams read like cheesy romance novels. Also, a the majority of his crew is made up of women.


	4. Natasha's Dream

**Summary**: Natasha's Dream. Or. The dream that if she knew you knew about, Natasha would have no choice but to kill you.  
**A/N**: Hope this is a bit more bittersweet than cheesey sweet this time round.

* * *

Down in the depths of a pirate ship was a dim cell. The walls and the iron bars were painted a blood red in an attempt to scare the inmates and remind them of their imminent death. The Red Room, as it had become known as, was the least thing to be feared while being a prisoner aboard The Bolshevik Revenge. The worst was waiting on the deck. Public torture was one of the favourite things of Captain Petrovitch and his crew fed off the bloodshed like mongrels going mad with rabies. It was a sickening sight indeed and not even being the closest thing he had to a daughter would stop him from enacting what he thought was justice.

The dirty paint was chipping and in need of another coating. There was a slight leaking in a few spots along the ship walls and the constant rocking had become rather heavy in the past half hour. But none of this caught the attention of the lone woman sitting in the middle of the cell; whose wavy hair was almost the same colour of the walls. In her hand was a silver locket, shaped as a heart. She sat clutching it, staring straight ahead of her as she thought about what had brought her here.

Natalia Romanova was Ivan Petrovitch's protégé. During a raid, he had stumbled across the young girl, crying over the dead bodies of her parents. In an odd moment of pity, Petrovitch took the girl on board with him and raised her on the seas to be as ruthless as he. Perhaps he wanted to leave a legacy that spanned beyond his own mortal years- have a child that continue his great crimes so that his reign along the seas would be longer than he could even imagine. A first mate, as loyal as they seem, Ivan decided, still looked out for themselves. A child looked towards you for protection and love. Because of this, they would protect you too, once they learned how. And Ivan certainly taught Natalia how.

Like he had hoped, Natalia raged against his enemies with a fury that surpassed his own and an agility that no crew member could match. Her beauty grew with each day and was unrivalled. Yet, it was only used to their advantage. Natalia seduced men out of their riches and information without guilt.

For all those years, she'd been happy. Or, at least she thought she was. Her childhood before had been long forgotten and the life she led on the seas was the only one she knew. Natalia did not see a life other than her subservient one to Ivan. She did not see a future that did not have her sailing the seas and making Ivan and his name proud. Then she met the Winter Sailor.

The Winter Sailor was a mercenary that was known for his cold and merciless decisions. No man was left alive when the Winter Sailor was involved. Both pirate and man under the King's protection were not safe from him if they got in his way. But despite the grand stories of the Sailor being able to freeze water with his breath, he had been able to melt the ice around Natalia's heart.

Opening the locket also wound the mechanism to play a short tune. It was a simple song, a sad lullaby for a broken hearted lover. The one thing she cherished most because it was the only thing she had left from him. Everything else was stripped away. Even his love. The pain in her chest made her angry and bitterness swelled up like bile in the back of her throat. How ironic was it that she was waiting to be punished for betrayal when the man she had tried to give up everything for had betrayed her as well? Natalia wanted to give up everything she knew for James for a life she never dreamed she could have.

And it was because she loved him. Because he was James. Only to her, was he James. To everyone else he was just a legend but Natalia saw him for who he truly was. And she loved him for who he truly was. She still did. That was the worst part of this whole mess. They were to meet in the dead of night and run away together. He never came and she was left to face Ivan's rage.

With each note, the abandonment was stabbed further into her soul. She wished she could just forget her feelings and once again follow Ivan blindly but her heart stayed firmly in place. For the first time since she could ever remember, James made her feel human when she didn't even know that she was just a trained body. There was no way she would go back to that life willingly, as easy as it may seem.

Unable to listen to the tune any longer, Natalia closed the locked and squeezed it in her palm. The sound of the sister locket playing somewhere in the brig made her stomach churn. Looking up she saw a silhouette by the stored supplied in front of the prison that made her heart skip a beat despite her anger

"James, you came," Natalia breathed relief, watching James snap his locket shut and walk slowly to the cell.

"You say that as if you knew I'd come," James accused lightly, stuffing the locket into a pocket inside his coat. Her heart beat faster when she saw that the inner pocket covered his own heart.

"You don't know what it's like to be trapped in this cell. Like the hundreds of men I've locked up. To be a prisoner to the only men I love. You can imagine what Petrovitch has in store for me come daylight," said Natalia, standing up and gripping the bars tightly so that rust and barnacles started to cut into her skin.

"You're talking to me about love?" James spat. "Two years I spent risking my neck to meet with you on stolen nights. Two years I risked being found an invader and stowaway on Petrovitch's ship just to feel your breath against my cheek for a second or to kiss the back of your hand. Taking demeaning fish jobs at ports in the hopes that you would make a stop there. I was a fool and you took joy in seeing my fall."

"No-"

"Then on the night you promised you'd finally leave this life for me, you didn't come. Tell me why didn't you come? You owe me that at least."

"What? Of course I came. I waited all night until Ivan found me and beat me. James, I _love_ you, do you think I would be as cruel as that? I never told you anything that I didn't mean with every bit of me," She was confused at his accusations and cursed herself for having to fight off tears. It was him that didn't show up. How could he blame her?

"Lying bitch," shot James, frantic to find an example to throw at her. "It's a shame you hold such strong feelings for me because I certainly don't love you."

"Yet you risk your life to sneak onto this ship so you can see me? You were a good lair, I'll give you that James," Natalia reasoned, trying to ignore the stab his declaration was twisting through her heart. "But you could never lie to me."

"Then don't lie to me. Why did you humuilate me? Did it give you pleasure to think you had some power over me? The feared Winter Sailor, said to be able to freeze the ocean with one breath- brought to his knees by a pretty face. Or was there another man that caught your attention?" James asked bitterly, walking along side the bars and away from Natalia. She followed him.

"I waited for you just as you asked. At Port Royal in The Seaman's Son pub. Don't blame me if you couldn't follow your own instructions."

"Port Royal? I didn't say anything like that. It was The Salty Parrot. The bar we met in when Petrovitch was trying to hire my services," James explained with suspicion.

"But your note, you wrote it in our code and signed it. I-" Natalia broke off, suddenly realising what had happened. Ivan had known about them before he caught her leaving his ship. He had broken their code and set her up. Slowly, outrage and resentment flooded from her toes to the very ends of her hair.

"It seems we've been tricked," James rolled the words around on his tongue and didn't like the taste. While he thought about the implications, he absentmindedly placed a hand on the bars. Natalia put her hand over his.

"If they thought I would stand and take my punishment, then they will be sorely mistaken. The last thing they will all learn when I am set from his cage is just how merciless the lover of the Winter Sailor can be," vowed Natalia, making James smile at the spirited woman he knew.

"I wouldn't expect any less of you," James laughed, pulling his hand away from the prison. "I'll leave you to plan your escape. I'll be at the Salty Parrot. Assuming I can make it off this ship alive." He started to make his way from The Red Room and out towards the deck of the ship. This time though, his steps seemed lighter, less burdened. As he was about to reach the stairs, Natalia called after him.

"James! Please?" She asked expectantly, longing in her word was enough to convey her question. It made James stop but he didn't turn around. His shoulders tensed in the response to how emotionally strenuous holding in his answer was.

"You know you will always have my heart Natalia."

The statement made her feel light headed and her doubts were dripping away. She couldn't help the almost childish smile that lit her face as she leaned against the bars in relief. A large weight was off her shoulders and she could begin to plan her escape now. Ivan Petrovitch would rue the day he decided to come between his little Natalia and The Winter Sailor.


	5. Darcy's Dream

**A/N:** Hope you guys enjoy this one! Thanks for all the lovely comments and faves! Though I'm tempted now to continue some of these pirate story lines...

* * *

"Any last regrets, Jarvis?" asked Darcy, popping her head out of an empty barrel once she was sure they were alone. She looked over to the blonde man climbing out of his own empty barrel and pulling out a bundle of guns and swords to strap to his back. Darcy started to do the same with her own bundle taking up space in the already cramp barrel.

"Normally, I'd regret not being saner," Jarvis smiled, tightening the knot around his chest that kept the bundle to his back. "Though after sneaking onto this ship in an empty barrel that once contained salted down meat...I must assume that's a moot point.

"Good. Because otherwise, I don't think this plan would work," laughed Darcy. Their plan- or rather, her plan- was to invade one of the most feared pirate ships to ever grace the seven seas: The Black Mark. Sailed by one of the most hated pirates, Obadiah Stane. He was even hated among pirates and that was quite a feat. In fact, Darcy was sure if there ever was to be a man to be put in the books as most hated pirate, it would be Obadiah.

If there ever was to be a pirate King, it would have to be Tony Stark. Though to actually be Pirate King, one had to be voted by the Pirate Lords and that would never happen to anyone but technicalities and all that. While Stark didn't rule over all pirates, he was one of the richest and snarkiest, and that had to count for popularity at least. Although he was born into wealth, the life had bored him and not challenged his mind enough. So he designed and commissioned one of the fastest ships the world had seen and went pirating with his trusty butler-turned-first-mate Jarvis. Stark's feats eventually earned him a place in pirate royalty and the coveted title of a Pirate Lord. And if Tony Stark was a Pirate King, then that meant Darcy was a Pirate Princess.

If there was one thing she inherited from Tony, it was the knack for coming up with seemingly impossible and death assured plans, going through with them and ending it all as the victor. Which was what she intended to do now. Obadiah had recently kidnapped her father and a few other important Pirate Lords for a nefarious plan to control the seas and Darcy would not stand for it. While Darcy was still being taught what was legend and truth in all the magical bedtime stories she was told, she knew that Obadaiah's plans for power would end in ruin for pirates and sailors everywhere. Though, she did have one ulterior motive besides trying to save the ocean: revenge.

Not seven months ago, Darcy had met Clint Barton, a pirate who was rumoured to do the dirty work of Pirate Lord Fury. While her father was meeting up to discuss more political matters with Fury, Darcy had been left to hold her own against his crew. Deciding she had enough of their drunken revelry, Darcy snuck out of the pub only have Clint fun into her. He wooed her before the night was over and before her father even knew she was missing. Stark was rather protective of her when it came to romantic entanglements. At one point, he had considered marrying her off to a well known pirate (the Pirate Lord Rogers to be exact), but after an incident with a pirate named Logan who sailed on The Monstrosity, Stark had sworn off ever allowing a man with romantic intentions to get near his daughter.

While Darcy had been initially upset at his decision, she became too busy learning to take any real notice. On the night she met Clint, men were one of the last things on her mind. At least, men and falling in love. She had planned on trying to make a name for herself among Fury's men- to prove whispers that she couldn't follow in her fahter's footsteps were all wrong. But once Darcy realised that the men were too busy getting drunk to even notice her, much less question her abilities, Darcy went out to for a fresh breath of air and Clint followed after her. She remembered their first meeting like it had happened only yesterday.

* * *

It was a chilly night, humid air tinged with salt. Darcy started to move away from the noisy pub so that the shouting within it became a distant memory. She looked up to the stars and half moon, using the constellations to find her place like her father had shown her. Although Tony had shown her how to use the elaborate sextant of his own tinkering, she still preferred to use her intuition. The stars always looked different from the ground of the small ports with buildings shielding some of the view. From the middle of the ocean, Darcy sometimes felt like one of the stars. Something small destined for greatness- maybe even a grand story fit for a constellation.

Suddenly, movement behind Darcy made her tense up and before the stranger could gain an advantage, she turned and pointed a pistol at his face. She didn't flinch when she realised it was one of Fury's men. Relatively high up if his interactions with the one-eyed man were any indication.

"You can put the pistol down. I don't plan on hurting you. Just wanted to ask why you left," the man assured but Darcy didn't waver and cocked her pistol.

"Surely you can ask me with a pistol aimed at your forehead."

"Yes, but that takes out some of the fun."

"Believe me, I know what men like you think a night of fun entails."

"Did your father tell you all about that?" he mocked, taking a bold step forward.

"Perhaps."

"I'd be willing to show you all the ways your father is wrong. Two adults can have a lot of fun together. And no one has to get hurt in the process," the man swore. Darcy felt her hand falter when he took another step forward, moonlight hitting his face so she could see his eyes. They reflected all colours of the ocean just before a storm.

"I'd prefer if you kept a safe distance."

"Okay then," the man stepped back and pulled out his sword. "If you're so intent on showing me your skills, draw your sword and impress me."

Keeping a wary on him, Darcy held her pistol steady as she drew her sword. In a flourish, she switched the weapons in her hand so that her pistol was back at her side and her sword was in her dominant hand. The man smirked but showed no signs of being impressed. They started to circle each other, daring the other to attack first. Eventually, Darcy had enough of his teasing and took a step forward, knowing full well that he would anticipate and counter.

"Eager I see," he joked, something deeper tingeing his words that she didn't fully recognise but it still made Darcy's stomach drop. She didn't have time to try and work it out though because the fighting had finally began. With every step back and lunge, Darcy found her movements countered expertly. In fact, there were times where she almost questioned her skill against him and doubted that she would be able to win. It was...enthralling. Especially to be matched against someone so skilled and who wasn't afraid to hold back just because she was the captain's daughter.

"We never agreed on terms," he said suddenly while dodging her attempt to disarm him.

"Terms?" Darcy said incredulously, jumping onto a cart when he tried to swipe at her feet.

"Yes, terms. What I get when I win," he smirked, kicking at the cart so it tipped and almost threw Darcy off.

"When you win? You mean when I win. And I want you to be an example for all your little friends," Darcy hopped off the cart and gave a frustrated cry when he blocked her again.

"Where's the fun in that?"

"It's not meant to be fun for you," explained Darcy, gracefully stepping behind a wooden post and smiling when the man accidently lodged his sword into the post.

"Someone needs to show you what a good time is actually like," he said, side stepping Darcy and pulling her towards him so that he held her against his chest. The man took the hand holding her sword and twisted it but Darcy refused to let go. Instead, their struggle somehow ended with her throwing her sword so now it was out of both their reach. The man took the opportunity to hold her tighter against him so that he could whisper into her ear.

"I win and I want a kiss."

"Just like my father said," Darcy growled, elbowing his stomach and wriggling her way out when his grip loosened ever so slightly. Once she was free, Darcy ran towards her sword and picked it up but didn't stop to turn around. She ran towards the first opening she saw, which turned out to be a dimly lit barn being used by the nearby pub as storage room. The boy on watch seemed to be sleeping soundly by a small fire, with a bottle of ale in one hand. Darcy didn't wait around to see if she would accidently wake him and found her way into the rafters. Soon, the man walked through the door and looked around but didn't see her. As he slowly inched his way into the barn, Darcy found a well placed hanging rope. Once the man was in a good position, Darcy jumped and took the rope with one hand and let her weight swing her towards his back. He turned around just in time to see Darcy heading towards his chest, feet first. Only, Darcy misjudged her landing and ended up tumbling with him into a large pile of hay. In the end, both lost their swords in the haystack and began to wrestle. The man had large arms and Darcy knew she was now at a disadvantage. But, being the Stark she was, she refused to give up and gave a triumphant cry when she hit a sensitive spot and was able to pin him to the ground between her legs.

"Ha! I win!" Darcy said smugly but her joy was cut short when he pulled out her own pistol and pointed it at her eyes.

"That's not fair! You cheated!"

"Pirate," the man pointed out with a raised eyebrow, dropping the pistol into the pile of hay and flipping them over so he was now on top. "Winner gets a kiss."

"I'd rather kiss a snake."

"What about a hawk?"

"What are you talking about?" Darcy asked, genuinely confused.

"That's what they call me. Hawkeye," he explained, getting up and offering her a hand. Darcy ignored it and stood up on her own, dusting herself off.

"Is that what you want me to call you?"

"No," he admitted. "I'd rather you call me Clint. Clint Barton."

"Darcy Lewis. Though everyone calls me Stark nowadays," Darcy pointedly ignored him and started to put her pistol back into her belt.

"What about my kiss?" Clint asked again.

"You're not getting a kiss."

"Scared that it won't impress me? I've had many a kiss in my day and I'm sure that's daunting to a spring chicken such as yourself."

"Hardly," Darcy said, rolling her eyes before placing her hands on her hips. "I've had my share of kisses." Obviously, she wasn't going to tell him that it was kisses on the cheek from her father and a kiss on the back of the hand from Logan.

"Oh?" Clint raised an eyebrow and walked closer to her. "Kisses from father don't count."

"I'm done with this conversation." Darcy started to reach for her sword so she could leave.

"If you kiss me, I'll tell all my peers about how you bested me at swordplay. I'll make it believable, I swear."

That made Darcy stop and think for a moment. She eyed Clint suspiciously and saw that he seemed somewhat serious. To be honest, she was starting to wonder if one little kiss would be the end of the world and as a child, she did sometimes dream about what it would be like. Her first kiss. Perhaps she should just get it over with so he'd stop pestering her.

"Okay...fine. If it will get you to shut up and leave me alone."

Instead of an obnoxious comment like she expected, he pulled her into his arms and leaned her backwards ever so slightly. Darcy looked up into Clint's eyes with shock. They were close enough that she could feel his warm breath against her cheek. She didn't hate it.

Darcy's heart starting to pound when his face slowly moved towards her. While she wouldn't have admitted it at the time, Darcy was the one to finally close the distance between them and smash her lips against his. She's not sure how it was ignited but in that moment, a flame lit in her chest. Before she realised what was happening, Clint had backed her up against the wall and lifted her so that she could wrap her legs around his waist. And she didn't do a thing to stop him, just gripped her legs and arms tighter around him. As his tongue searched her mouth, Darcy's lungs started to beg for air but she didn't care. She moaned at the feel of his warm body rubbing against hers and just as soon as it started, Clint broke apart with a ragged breath.

"I suppose we should get back, before anybody realises that we're both missing," Clint said, putting her down. Darcy was still trying to find her balance but the world was spinning and it made her dizzy. She almost didn't notice Clint offering back her own sword.

"I...I suppose," Darcy said a little to herself, offended that Clint wanted to leave so fast. It seemed her father was right after all...

"Until we meet again," Clint said softly, taking Darcy's hand in his and kissing her knuckles. Boldly, Darcy pulled him back towards her for another kiss and he happily obliged. This time round, it was softer and less demanding.

"Darcy?" Jarvis called, and Darcy pulled away from Clint mid-kiss. The first mate was calling from outside the barn but she could hear him getting closer.

"I'll wait in here until the two of you leave," Clint assured and Darcy spared a final glance back at him before running out to meet Jarvis.

"There you are, I noticed you were missing and wanted to make sure everything was all right. I think your father has started to come to a conclusion that satisfies both parties."

"Oh, of course. I was just getting some fresh air," Darcy promised, though the look in Jarvis' eyes seemed to show that he didn't fully believe her. Still, he let it slide as he led her back to the pub..

* * *

Thinking about that first meeting still made her heart race. Darcy hadn't told her father about what took place between her and Clint. While she was sure Jarvis had an inkling of what happened, he said nothing.

After a series of secret meetings, Darcy had almost earned the courage to tell her father about Clint Barton. But during a mission for Fury to infiltrate Obadiah's ship and learn what his plans were, Clint was caught and left on an island to die. She mourned his death silently but when Obadiah struck again, she had to act.

So the only thing she could do? Sneak onto his ship while he reloaded supplies, wait for the signal that her own men and Fury's were in posistion for battle and hope for the best. Once she and Jarvis freed her father and the other captive Lords, they'd all fight their way off and defeat Obadiah for good. Jarvis said it was a plan worthy of her father's madness and Fury thought she was joking when she first asked him to join in. Darcy took it as a sign she was becoming ready to succeed her father.

"Do you think the ships are in position?" Darcy asked but once the question left her mouth, they heard a fire of cannons and the frantic shouts of the men on deck.

"It's time to free the prisoners," Jarvis nodded. They made their way as silently as they could, hiding whenever they heard crew nearing to grab more weapons. Eventually, they made their way to the cells. Darcy breathed a sigh of relief when she saw her father sitting down, safe behind bars.

"Father!" she exclaimed, running towards him and taking his hands in hers in between the bars.

"I knew you were planning an escape," said Tony, looking triumphantly at the others sharing his cell. Darcy looked around and saw a large group of pirates. She didn't know them all but she recognised Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanoff, Bruce Banner and...

"Clint! Clint Barton?" Darcy said in disbelief, letting her hands drop out of her father's grib. She could hardly believe her eyes. He looked rougher, had an extra scar on his face but was alive.

"Yes," he said solemnly, walking towards the bars.

"They said you were dead. That you were marooned on an island," Darcy reached through the bars to touch his face, still not believing he was truly alive until she felt his hands grip her waist.

"I was."

"How did you escape?"

"Sea turtles darling," winked Clint, reaching up to wipe a tear from her cheek. "Two of them, strapped to my boots. But that's a story for another day."

"Then how did you end up back on this ship?"

"I was trying to lay low for a while, Fury's orders, when I heard that a Stark was kidnapped by Obadiah. Only, I guess my informer lied about which Stark and ended up ratting me out to Obadiah. By the time I realised what happened, I was stuck in this cell."

"But- but Fury acted as if you were dead. Why couldn't you- couldn't you have sent a message to me?"

"It was a part of his plan. I'm sorry-"

"Could someone tell me what the hell is going on?" Tony asked crossly.

"Remember that girl I said I was trying to make my way back to?" Clint asked.

"Yeah," said Tony with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, this is her."

"What? Darcy! When were you planning on telling me about this?"

"Father, I'm in love," Darcy said as the only means of explanation. Her eyes never left Clint's and she pressed up against the bars trying to get closer to him.

"I hate to break up this display of family dynamics, but how are we meant to get off this ship?" Bruce asked, right at the moment Jarvis finished picking the large padlock.

"Bruce is right. There are at least 100 men on this ship who will kill us on sight and there sounds like a war on deck," Steve added.

"Our ship and Fury's are out there. We intended to fight our way out," Jarvis explained, taking off the large bundle off his back and unrolling it for all inhabitants of the cell to see. It was filled with five long swords and 6 pistols.

"I knew I could trust you," Stark smirked, lifting up a sword in one hand and a pistol in the other. "Darcy, we are having a talk once we get off this ship."

"Of course father," Darcy said absentmindedly, currently preoccupied with Clint who was now out of the cell and holding her close to his chest.

"I'll fight to the death with you by my side," Clint smiled, leaning in for a kiss as the freed pirates behind them lead a cheer for battle.

"Aye, and me with you by my side," Darcy closed the gap, ignoring the raging war around them for the moment.

* * *

"I don't like this," Tony said with a frown, crossing his arms as he and Pepper watched the four bodies sleep while credits rolled up the screen. "They could squish her. In fact, I'm not entirely sure they're not suffocating her right now."

"Oh, come on, it's cute," said Pepper, taking out her phone and taking a picture of the scene.

"What are you doing now?"

"Sending this to Phil. Maybe he can get it framed for his desk."

"Maybe he'll be jealous that Darcy's sleeping with Captain America instead of him."

"Sush."

"I think I should wake them up. We need to let Darcy rest," Tony tried again, real worry starting to shine through. He looked back at the bed where Darcy lay, blissfully asleep on Clint's chest with Steve spooning her back. Natasha lay on the other side of Clint, lightly spooning him. "Though I always knew Natasha was a big spoon."

Suddenly, Steve started to stir, and his loud, exaggerated yawn woke Clint and Natasha. All three Avengers rubbed sleep out of their eyes and began to sit up, taking in their surroundings in shock and remembering where they were. Clint started to sit up but noticed Darcy laying on his chest and stayed put for a while longer.

"Good. Now that you're all awake. Get out," Tony deadpanned.

"Jeez Tony, you say that to all the ladies that wake up next to you?" Clint asked.

"No, he left while they were sleeping and had me say it for him," Pepper smirked.

"Whatever. Get out before you all suffocate her or something. It's late and Coulson's started to call me and ask where everyone went. I'm the consultant, not the baby sitter."

Slowly, everyone grumbled complaints as they left Darcy sleeping in bed. Pepper ushered them all out and started to tell them what commands Coulson was texting. When it was just Tony in the room, he walked over and sat next to Darcy. He took in the sleeping form of his daughter warmly, leaned over and kissed her on the forehead before asking JARVIS to turn off the lights so she could continue to dream whatever it was that was making her smile.


End file.
